CTC, 38-percent owned by Sweden's MTG, had said it is considering a potential sale to comply with a new Russian law on foreign ownership.

Rostelecom and CTC Media declined to comment.

Vedomosti reported, citing a source close to one of Rostelecom's shareholders and an unnamed Rostelecom executive, that Rostelecom was studying the possibility of buying CTC Media.

Talks are being held but they are not at an advanced stage, Vedomosti quoted the sources as saying. It did not provide details. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova and Anastasia Teterevleva, editing by Elizabeth Piper)